Home from Washington!

Last week my friend Laurie and I took Tommie, Hacker, Honor, Stella and Miley up to the Puget Sound Dalmatian Club specialty up in the Seattle area of Washington state.

On the first day of the drive we stopped at an awesome park in Oregon that had the perfect river beach for dogs to swim.  Her girls, Honor and Miley are pros at swimming as she has a pool.  Tommie, Hacker and Stella haven't had nearly as much experience but the puppies LOVED it!  Laurie was taking pics so I have to wait to get them from her, then I'll post them when I get them.

The next day we made it into Belleview, WA.  The La Quinta Inn is very dog friendly with several restaurants within easy walking distance.  The weather was really nice all week.

The Specialty shows (Dalmatians only) were on Friday and Saturday with an all-breed show on Sunday.  Hacker, Honor and Stella all showed in puppy Sweepstakes classes.  On Friday the girls placed in their class and did a very nice job.  Hacker won his class, then went on to win Best In Sweeps! 

After Sweepstakes came the regular classes.  Stella won her 12-18 mos. class.  Honor won her Amateur-Owner class.  Hacker won his Bred-By-Exhibitor class and then went on to Winners' Dog for his second 3-point major to finish his Championship title!  WooHoo!!!  It was Soooo exciting, and even better under a judge who is also a Dalmatian breeder.  Hacker's now more formally known as CH Montague Phoenix Unauthorized Access.  Now we get to start training a little more seriously for his performance career - which is my first love.

On Saturday at the second Specialty Honor won her Sweepstakes class and went on to Best Senior in Sweeps - beating her brother!  :o)  She then won her Amateur-owner class and went on to Reserve Winner's Bitch.  No points, but it was still a very nice placement and she did a beautiful job.

On Sunday at the all-breed show Stella won her class and went on to Reserve Winner's Bitch.  Stellie did a beautiful job too!  So all in all the puppies did very well up there.

Dave and grand-dad Hayden stayed home and had an old-guys weekend.  They were both very happy to see me when I got home.  :o)

It was fun seeing friends that we really only get to see at dog shows either when we go up there or they come down here, usually for a Specialty show.  Hopefully we'll get to see some of them when they come down for our Specialty (Dalmatian Club of Northern California) in October in Dixon.

I'll post pics when I get them! :o)

A year ago this weekend....

The puppies started leaving for their new homes.  Where did the year go?  I cried with each and every one of them, even the ones I knew I would see on a regular basis.  Heck, even the ones that I co-own with long-time friends!  Yeah, I'm pretty pathetic ;o).  I love my grandpuppies.

Here's Honor at the Richmond Dog Fancier's show up in Dixon earlier this month.  She's grown into a beautiful girl and has 11 of the 15 points it takes to finish her Championship title.

( l-r) - Honor, their "step-mother" Miley, Honor's mom Laurie, and Hacker swimming at a friends pool.  The girls love the water, Hacker's still not so sure.

 Hacker earned his first major in June at the Contra Costa KC show in Vallejo.  He now has 12 points towards his Championship title.

Sweet Harley is doing his snoopy imitation on his dog house.  He looks pretty proud of himself!  Handsome boy.

Stella with her mom, Karen at the Dalmatian Club of America's national specialty show in Tulsa last May.  She's taking a trip with us up to Seattle for the Puget Sound specialty soon.

Miss Pepper, sweet baby girl, sitting nicely for a treat.  I miss my grandbabies!

Looking forward to some updated pics of all the puppies soon.